It’s time for law firms to embrace legal tech as a force for positive change – Janette Speed

Janette Speed ​​is Head of Scotland, Shoosmiths LLP

Although many companies have faced significant obstacles, many of the most innovative professional service companies – such as law firms and large accounting firms – have redoubled their focus to develop technical solutions that will help their clients’ businesses thrive and be better prepared to serve theirs Achieving goals in the new normal.

According to The Lawyer Portal, Legal Tech is defined as “technology and software that provide and support legal services”. Undoubtedly, legal technology plays a key role in this product development, which is in part driven by innovative law firms that want to make their internal processes more efficient and further improve the customer experience.

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For law firms today it is no longer enough to just provide “legal advice”. From general counsels to leading banks to HR directors at FTSE250 companies to family business owners, they all need thoughtful, holistic, integrated solutions for their boards of directors. These have to show how time and money can be saved and, at the same time, effective customer advice and the desired results can be achieved.

Law firms are in a unique position to act as an extension of an in-house legal team or company. In close cooperation, lawyers can gain valuable knowledge in order to identify a product that, together with in-depth legal advice, can support the client in achieving a strategic goal.

Shoosmiths is one of the leading law firms to have legal tech firmly internalized. In 2020 we launched New How, our long-term strategic project that enables companies and customers to work smarter, better, faster and in new ways through innovation and people-centered technology.

In recent years, the company has worked hard to develop innovative products, time-efficient processes and work practices. These include Matters +, Live Working and, most recently, Cia, a new contract review platform controlled by artificial intelligence (AI). Together, these contributed to the launch of Shoosmiths8 Connected Services in March 2021.

Of course, there can be an obvious paradox for law firms when it comes to investing in legal tech. Businesses can be torn between adopting technologies that enable new “improved” ways of working, and sticking to a “proven” traditional approach that, until relatively recently, may have underpinned the law in Scotland for decades.

Many clients are drawn to law firms looking to innovate that allow the company to be flexible and more cost effective. Legal Tech can improve the customer experience and, when used effectively, add value to the firm’s market offering and be effective when many employees are working remotely.

As a law firm on this legal technology journey, we learned the importance of carefully considering colleagues and other stakeholders before implementing technology. Technology is best when it comes to people and technology. Not people or technology. Before you rush into implementing what could be an expensive investment, it is important for colleagues to understand the reasons for adopting certain legal tech systems and software.

In particular, it is crucial for lawyers in some roles not to feel that AI and related technologies will somehow replace their legal expertise. It should complement it. Because in law, legal tech is an important instrument for positive changes, especially if well-founded decision-making and an understanding of the advantages for the law firm and the customer are in the foreground before implementation. In fact, it is wise to try new technology to give teams and customers the power to shape the final product and ensure that its implementation into the company goes as smoothly as possible.

Although the pandemic may have accelerated innovative work practices and investments in legal tech aimed at delivering solutions, companies should be wary of innovating for technology’s sake. It always has to be to achieve real transformation in business.

We should embrace legal tech. Over the centuries, advocates have moved from nibs to ballpoint pens to manual, electric and electronic typewriters and, more recently, computers. With every innovation, the profession has evolved and lawyers have always adapted.

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